Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Taurus M455 .45 ACP DA Revolver

Having just finished an article on the Taurus 455 the question "What do people who have shot them think?" came to mind.
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<br>Short barrel revolvers built for large pistol cartridges often seem overly large for comfortable concealed carrey so they haven't been considered before. How do you carry large frame short-barrel revollvers for concealed carry?
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<br>The short barrel still can generate pretty good power from the tests the author did. The Hornady 230 HP/XTP exceeded 900 fps.
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<br>(909 x 909) / 7000 / 64.32 x 230 = 422 ft lbs
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<br>Any commments appreciated.
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<br>Norm
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I read an article about the M455 with some interest. But I wondered to myself, If I already have a Lightweight Commander that weighs the same, carries more rounds and is more compact, what's the point of the M455? It looks like a nice gun but I can't see what niche it is supposed to fill.
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<br>ZM
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Zeke,
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<br>Good points. Maybe the 455 would appeal to persons who want horsepower and are uncomfortable with semi-autos.
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<br>I actually think the best carry gun for the majority of permit holders is a DAO revolver.
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<br>Norm

Norm, the reason some people like a short-barrelled .45 ACP revolver is because they like to fantasize about being Indiana Jones in the Temple of Doom.

Hawk,
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<br>I might fantacize about having a large bore but never short-barreled.
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<br>N

I would be a lot more interested if Taurus would make a larger framed, NON-PORTED(are you listening Taurus?) 6-shot version chambered for 45ACP with maybe a 6 or 8 inch barrel. That gun would give me something to with with all those 45 Super cases I have lying around.
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<br>ZM

Realizing* that right next to a lone woman, the most vulnerable person would be a scrawny old phardt (me) in a wheelchair, I bought an eight-round four-inch Taurus .357 Magnum revolver as my "wheelchair turret" gun. But I'm a good bit weaker than I thought I'd be, so this .357 is heavier than I like. So now I'm evenly balanced, choice-wise, between a lighter four-inch .357 and a four-inch .45 ACP revolver. (My three-decade love affair with autos has cooled, else I'd be content with my Kimber or even my Ballester Molina.) I'm equally well equipped and supplied to load either cartridge, and experienced with both -- as well as with the .44 Magnum and others. A Taurus .44 Special isn't out of the question if I can get it in a four-inch barrel. Even in only a "belly" gun, I don't like essentially barrelless guns.
<br>* even more so since my friend George was stripped, bound, gagged, tortured, and beaten to death last week -- and he wasn't confined to a w'chair.
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<br>One thing I like better about the .45 is the perp-eye view of that humongous hole in the muzzle. The finest function of a protection gun is to preclude the necessity for its use (as in the hammer popping the primer).
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<br>"Indiana Jones?" I enjoyed that phase of my life a LONG time ago. Now, no longer young, strong, or agile, I'd rather just avoid any recurrence of it.

Just resurrected the Taurus brochure "What's New from Taurus" -- from the 2002 SHOT Show -- and therein found my decider: a four-inch stainless Tracker in .45 Colt! If I had the bucks in hand, I'd call my order in tomorrow (even though, apparently, the only choice is a ported barrel). And I wish it were available blue, but I can live with stainless. In a carry gun, its practical assets outweigh its esthetic liabilities. Have Redding dies and shell-holder already on the old Redding turret press -- just have to acquire a peck of brass -- already have a 20-inch Bullberry .45 Colt bull barrel for my Contender carbine, for use with a strain gauge and the Oehler Model 43 system to pressure-test my loads. What every ol' phardt needs is another .45 Colt.

Ken,
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<br>Good to hear from you. Yep, I've been bitten by the Taurus Tracker in .45 ACP bug too. After 20 years in law enforcement I have grown fond of stainless steel for the good it did me in rain, snow, sleet, mud, etc over the years.
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<br>There is nothing quite like a finely blued shootin' iron and superbly processed wood for pure beauty and I own a couple but I carry stainless and rubber.
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<br>I think the only Tracker options are 4" and 6" barrel.
<br>For me the 4" is the choice.
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<br>Thanks for your comments,
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<br>Norm

Ken,
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<br>Thanks for the interesting commentary. Sorry to hear you are a bit under the weather. I, too, have been battling the onset of the "Golden Years" but am fighting back tooth and nail.
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<br>I fact I am in the beginning stages of planning my first elk hunt. Some of the boys on this site have given me good advise so far.
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<br>I think the 4" Tracker with Cor-Bon 165 grain jhp would be just the number for a wheel chair turret gun. The 165 is hot and fast but the recoil is with in range.
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<br>I didn't use to worry about recoil until old Arthur took over the joints in my hands.
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<br>Like you I'd like the situations we prepare for to just pass me by.
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<br>Good luck,
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<br>Norm

Ken,I've got a Tracker -5 shot - in 41 mag and a few boxes of loaded ammo.Want to try it out? If you like it,we can come up with a poor boy swap. I like it fine but wish I had gotten the titantium version.

Ken,
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<br>Do you know anything about a book entitled "Hunt High?" I just ordered a copy from Amazon and wanted to know if the author knows what he's talking about?
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<br>Norm

I edited, designed, and prepped my late friend and neighbor Dunc's book "Hunt High" for publication. Yes, ol' Dunc knew very well what he was doing, and what he wrote about it is worth reading. My heart is heavy regarding Dunc, however. Photographing bison last month, he lagged behind the other fellows, and when they went back to where he was, they found him dead -- the fourth of five good friends I've lost to sudden death in the last few weeks.

Gene, I'd love to play around with a .41 Magnum Tracker -- have fired only one .41 Magnum in my life (two rounds -- got a badger) and only a month or so ago acquired a set of new .41 Magnum dies. But I can't afford to pay you a fair price for it (have an especially good contact who can get me any Taurus, new, for less than half price). And unless you'd be interested in (a) a six-inch S&W 686 (.357 Magnum) with Pachmayr grip and tritium front sight, (b) a 3.5-10x Leupold, (c) a B&L spotting scope, (d) a classic 15x Litschert target-and-varmint scope, or (e) a four-inch, eight-shot blue Taurus .357 (608B4), I don't have any idea what I can offer you in a trade. I appreciate the offer, however.

Ken,
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<br>Thanks. I am sorry to hear about your friend and colleague. I will read the book and maybe can use the info therein since I am planning may first elk hunt for sometime next year.
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<br>N

Ken
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<br>How did it happen ?
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<br> * even more so since my friend George was stripped, bound, gagged, tortured, and beaten to death last week -- and he wasn't confined to a w'chair.
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<br>Did they catch the bastards ?
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<br>Conrad

Go to
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<br>http://www.dailyinterlake.com/
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<br>and run a search for "George Evans."

A really sad story.
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<br>I have a steel spike type thing that I keep on my key chain. It is about the size of a large pen and not too heavy. It could prove useful if I have to defend my self. The best thing about it is the suprise factor and I almost always have my keys with me.
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<br>I almost had to use it one time. I was at the park with my children spinning them and a bunch of other kids arround on one of those hand powered merry go rounds. This guy put his too young son on the merry go round and he flew almost off the device. He was hanging on to it and dragging on the ground. I saved him from injory by grabbing him and pulling him off before he got hurt. He was scared and crying. This got his dad up set and mad at me and as he was 6"s taller I got concerned. As this guy was expressing his anger I reached into my pocket and took a hold of me keys and was greatly comforted by my spike. It was there if I needed it.
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<br> It was not too expansive, maybe $4. If you want I could get you one tomorrow. Just let me know.
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"Gene, I'd love to play around with a .41 Magnum Tracker -- have fired only one .41 Magnum in my life (two rounds -- got a badger) "
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<br>HUH??
<br>badger

The one in northern Wyoming stuck his head out of his hole.
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<br>Keep your head down.